On Mexico City Blues. (45th Chorus)

Allen Ginsberg on Jack Kerouac’s Mexico City Blues continues from here

AG: And now commenting on the sounds – the little Shakespearean run in the 45th Chorus – “Euphonism, a softening of sounds/Euphemism, a softened word-/  One is sonic, one is human…” – (“One is sonic” – Euphonism is like that) – “Gazers/ in mock Roman/Arabian Kimonos” is euphonism that he’s dealing with there.  Euphonious sounds.  He probably looked it up in the dictionary.

“Euphonism, a softening of sounds/Euphemism, a softened word – ” – You know what euphemism is?  Does anybody know what a euphemism is?
Student:  Yes.
AG:  What?
Student:  Saying “he passed away” instead of “he died.”
AG:  Yeah.  Or instead of saying “He’s a shit,” saying “Well, he’s not so bad.”  It’s a euphemism  [Editorial note – no, its not, her example is, however] “Well, she’s a published poet”.  (She published a few poems)  “Is she a good poet?”  (“Well, she’s published a couple poems”).  “She’s a published poet.”
So one is sonic –  euphonism has to do with sound,  and one is human he says –  in other words, you don’t say … you don’t strike at the heart.  So one is human.  And that’s a rather charming way of describing euphemism.  “One is sonic, one is human.”

“Both are imaginary metaphors/ Metaphysical Exception taken/ by the old euphonious/ phoney of Arkansaw/ River bridge” – (“the old euphonious/phoney” – I thought that was funny) – ” Excisor of taxes via tickets/ of taxes/ With what Euphoric/ doesnt-matter/ Really pronunciation/ price” – I don’t know what that means.

“Excisor of taxes via tickets/of taxes/ With what Euphoric/ doesnt-matter/ Really pronunciation/price” – (“Really pronunciation/price/”the old euphonious/ phoney of Arkansaw/ River bridge” – (I guess is the guy who collects tolls on the bridge in Arkansas) – “the old euphonious/phoney of Arkansaw/ River bridge/    Excisor of taxes via tickets/of taxes” – (Tickets are taxes.  You get a ticket to go across the bridge) – “With what Euphoric/ doesnt-matter/ Really pronunciation/ price/  Dolichocephalic?/ Ichthyocephalic, Encephalotherapy…” – (He’s just playing.  He’s just looking up other words like “euphonism.”) – Dolichocephalic?/ Ichthyocephalic, Encephalotherapy/ Dont point at your head/ The Judge says you’re crazy..” – (If you go before the judge, don’t go like this) – ” Dont point at your head/ The Judge says you’re crazy/ Breaky cephalic/ Ouch/ Inch of Grace, sigh” – (“Breaky cephalic” –  brachycephalic –  Break your head.  Break your head) –

“Ouch/Inch of Grace, sigh.” – ( I like “Inch of Grace, sigh.”  You can read that in the old poets like George Herbert or John Donne – “I sigh for an inch of grace.” “I trod the miles, sigh for an inch of grace.”  I’m making it up, but they wrote like that.

Audio for the above can be heard here, beginning at approximately fifty-eight minutes in and concluding at approximately sixty-one-and-a-half minutes in

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